Rotary fluid-pressure producing apparatus



July 24, 1923.- 1,463,110

A. J. WORTHEN ROTARY FLUID PRESSURE PRODUCING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 4.1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ji II I h iiu v WE/4T0 ALaER r z]. 71 511 THE/V.

ATTORNEYS WITNESSES July 24, 1923. 1.463.110

" A. J. WORTHEN ROTARY FLUID PRESSURE PRODUCING APPARATUS I i A4047- LlWORTHEM BY Q ATTORNEYS Patented July 24, 1923.

UNITED STATES ALBERT J. WORTHEN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

ROTARY FLUID-PRESSURE PRODUCING APPARATUS.

Application filed November 4, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT J. WORTHEN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco andState of California, have invented a new and Improved Rotary Fluid-Pressure Producing Apparatus, of which the following is a full, 0 car,and exact description.

The invention relates to compressors in which the velocity of the air,gas or other fluid is converted into pressure energy, and its object isto provide a new and improved rotary fluid ressure producing apparatusarranged to o tain a high over-all efficiency and reduce mechanicallosses and losses of the fluid, due to windage, to a minimum.

Another object is to deliver a large volume of air or gas at a highcompression ratio.

Another object is to provide an apparatus of this type which is verysimple and durable in construction and composed of comparatively fewparts not liable to get easily out of order.

Another object is to render the apparatus exceedingly compact and topermit of running the same without producing undue vibrations.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, as hereinafter shown and described andthen specifically pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in whichsimilar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved rotary fluid pressureproducing apparatus arranged as a duplex unit;

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevation of the air or gasentrance end of theapparatus;

Figure 3 is a similar view of the discharge end of the apparatus withthe discharge pipes shown 1n section;

Figure 4 is a cross section of the apparatus on the line 44 of Figure 5;

Figure 5 is an enlarged longitudinal central section of the apparatus,part being shown in elevation;

Figure 6 is a sectional plan view of the first unit of the apparatus,the section being on the line 6-6' of Figure 5; and

Serial No. 512,742.

Figure 7 is a similar view of the second unit of the apparatus, thesection being on the line 77 of Figure 5.

Figures 1 to 5 show a two-unit air-compressor, but it is deemedadvisable to first describe the left-hand single unit as it in itselfforms a complete air compressor and can be run without the other unit.The rotary air compressor is mounted in a suitably constructed casing 10provided at the sides with lugs 11 for sup-porting the air compressor ona suitable foundation 12. The left-hand or air entrance end 15 of thecasing 10 is open and the right-hand end of the casing is provided witha discharge chamber 16 having one or more outlet or discharge pipes 17for conducting compressed air to a place of use. The open end 15 isprovided with a thrust bearing 18 and the discharge chamber 16 isprovided with a thrust bearing 19, and in the said bearings 18 and 19 isjournaled a driven shaft 20 provided with steps 21, on which are keyedor otherwise secured the hubs 22 of a series of spaced velocityproducing wheels 23, 24, 25 and 26 which coast with stationary velocityproducing dia-phragms 30, 31, 32, 33 and 34 extending between thecorresponding velocity producing wheels and being secured in the casing10 in any suitable manner. The first or air entrance diaphragm 30 islocated in the open end 15 of the casing 10, and the last diaphragm 34is located adjacent the discharge member 16 and discharges compressedair into the same. It is understood that the shaft 20 and its velocityproducing wheels 23, 24, 25 and 26 form the rotor, and the casing 10 andits velocity producing diaphragms 30, 31, 32, 33 and its pressureconverting diaphragm 34 form the stator of the apparatus.

The diaphragms 30, 31, 32. 33 and 34 are provided with guide vanes orblades 35, 36, 37, 38 and 39, of which the vanes 35, 36, 37 and 38 ofthe velocity producing diaphragms 30, 31, 32 and 33 define graduallydecreasing passages having their walls converging towards the dischargechamber 16, while the vanes 39 in the last diaphragm 34 define a passageopening into the chamber 16 and having its walls diverging to the saidchamher to eliminate shock in the process of converting the velocity ofthe fluid into pressure and to deliver the compressed air gas atcomparatively low velocity into the III said chamber. The velocityproducing wheels 23, 24, 25, and 2-6 are p-roviflcd with vanes or blades40, 41,- 42 and 43 set at gradually increasing angles relative to themotion in which the wheels rotate, as will be readily understood byreference to Figure 6. Thus the vanes 40 are set at a small anglerelative to the direction of rotation of its velocity producing wheel23, and the other vanes 41, 42 and 43 are correspondingly set relativeto their wheels with the angles increasing until the vanes 43 are set atright angles or 90 with the d1rect1on of rotatlon of the velocityproduclng impeller wheels nearly parallel to the axis of the apparatus.

When the compressor is in operation the air is drawn in by way of thefirst velocity producing diaphragm 30 by the when of the vanes 40 of thefirst velocity producing wheel 23, and the air is delivered by thisvelocity producing wheel to the next velocity producing diaphragm 31,and this operation is repeated throughout the series of alternatevelocity producing diaphragrns and velocity producing wheels. The airtravels in about the direction of the arrows indicated in Figure 6 andattains a high velocity in passing from one stage to the. next.

After acquiring the maximum velocity possible in the last velocity stagethe velocity gradually diminishes while the pressure increases. In orderto impart to the air a high velocity withoutsubjecting it to shockrecourse is taken by stepping up the velocity in stages, that is, ahigher velocity is given to the air in each succeeding stage. This isaccomplished by giving an increasing blade pitch or angle in each set ofmoving blades 40, 41, 42 and 43, as will be readily understood bycomparison of the parts shown in Figure 6. In a compressor with a32-inch mean blade diameter and 4,000 revolutions per minute, the angleor blade pitch in each velocity producing wheel will be 20, 41, 64, and90. The velocities will be 35.5, 71, 106.5 and 142 inches per timerevolution. The increase of angle or blade pitch is so arranged that thework or energy is evenly distributed over the respective velocityproducing wheels in order to obtain a high eliiciency. By reference toFigure 6 it will be noticed that the air is taken in at the firststationary velocity producing diaphra 30 in a direction parallel to theaxis of t e apparatusand at an angle of 90 with the direction ofrotation of the velocity producing wheels. In passing through eachvelocity stage the air flow gradually assumes a direction with thedirection of rotation. 'This action is due to the increase of angle ofthe vanes orblades in each velocity unlt and designated as the velocityof whirl. Furthermore, the velocity of flow."

that is, the air being displaced and pushed into the compressor bymoving the vanes or bladcs also increases with each succeeding stage sothat at the end of the fourth or expellcr stage (at velocity producingwheel 26) the velocity of the air leaving the impeller and enteringtheguide vanes 39 will be the resultant of the two component velocities.namely, velocity of flow and velocity of whirl.

As stated above, the velocity of flow increases in each succeedingvelocity stage and a corresponding decrease of eflective area or bladearea is necessary, and hence the moving blades in each succeeding stagewill be shorter (see 1*igure 6). The air pas sages in the velocityproducing diaphragms converge to the length of the blade of thecorresponding movin velocity producing wheel. The action 0 theconverging passages and action of the moving blades combined willincrease the velocity of flow of the air or gas. In the passage of thediaphragms the air flow increases by virtue of convergence of walls ofpassage, and in the velocity producing wheels or impellers by virtue ofthe increase of blade pitch or angle. The same also holds true in thecase of the increase of velocity of whirl. By reference to Figure 6, itwill be noticed that the guide vanes 35, 36, 37 and 38 are slightlycurved and the cross sectional area is smaller at the exit than at theentrance, consequently there will be an increase of velocity denoted asvelocity of whirl. In the velocity producing wheels an increase ofvelocity of whirl is had on account of an increase of blade pitch, andas before stated, diaphragms and impellers work in unison consequently,there will be no shock when the blade impinges upon the moving air. Theair will have a higher velocity leaving the passage as compared to theentrance velocity. This increase of velocity is also due to thereduction of vane annulus. The vane annulus is smaller at the exit thanat the entrance. Due to these two factors, namely, convergenceof-passage and reduction of cross sectional area between the guidevanes, a reduction of annulus, will result which tends to accelerate theair. When the moving blades of the respective velocity producing wheelimpinge upon the air, the air leaving the guide vanes will have avelocity approximately that of the velocity due to the action of themoving blades in the respective velocity stage. In consequence,therefore, the impact factor is eliminated. It will be noticed that theair is guided on to the moving blades with an initial velocity, and in adirection that the flowing air has in relation to the moving blades.

In Figures 1 and 5 is disclosed a duplex unit compressor and in thiscase the 00111-- pre ssedair discharged by the pipe 17 is delivered to acooler from which the cooled compressed air passes by way of pipes 50into an entrance chamber 51 of the second or right-hand unit, shown inFigures 1 and 5. This unit is otherwise constructed the same as the oneon the left-hand side, and hence further description of the same is notdeemed necessary. In practice, the shaft 20 of, the right-hand unit isconnected by a suitable coupling with the shaft 20 to cause the velocityproducing wheels of the two units to rotate in unison. It is understoodthat the air gradually comes to .rest when the pressure increases andhence the volume of the air will be smaller when at atmosphericpressure; and, in the case'where two compressors are used, itre-compresses the once compressed air. Then the effective area or bladearea in the second or right hand unit exposed to act upon the air mustbe proportionately smaller with the diminishing volume. It is understoodthat this second unit composes the second pressure stage and there maybe as many as deemed necessary to obtain the predetermined pressure. Inorder to insure a high thermo-dynamic efliciency, the air is preferablycooled between each pressure stage, as above mentioned. The compressionwill be nearly isothermal.

Amongst the advantages of the apparatus shown and described relative toother types of compressors are the following: By reference to Figure 6it will be noticed that the air flows parallel with the axis of theapparatus. The direction that the air takes in flowing through does notsuffer much loss due to windage as is the case in centrifugal types ofcompressors where the air has to follow a contortious course from stageto stage. A higher compression efficiency is the result. In thecentrifugal type of compressor the air is taken in at the center of theimpellers. In a parallel flow turbine compressor the air is taken in atthe periphery of the impeller, consequently, there is a much largerorifice of passage or area to act upon the air as compared to thecentrifugal type. For the same weight of compressor, the parallel flowcompressor Wlll deliver a much larger volume of air. As compared to thereciprocating type compressor, which is large, heavy, cumbersome andexpensive in construction and maintenance, the turbine compressor hasthe advantage of lightness and compactness, higher efiiciency ofcompression. and cheapness in manufacturing and running. It will also benoticed that the apparatus is composed of comparatively few parts, notliable to get easily out of order. Explosions that sometimes occur inthe reciprocating type of compressor are entirely eliminated because theair is absolutely free of oil. It will further be noticed that theapparatus is exceedingly compact and owing to the continuous turningmotion there is no vibration and a much less heavy foundation is reuired.

Vhile I have referred to the compression of air or gas throughout theabove description it is of course understood that the scope of theinvention as recited in the subjoined claims is not confined to air orgas as it may be used to equal advantage to impart a high head to wateror other liquids and in this way act as a pump or the like.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. In a rotary fluid pressure producing apparatus, a plurality ofvelocity producin wheels mounted to rotate in unison an spaced apart,successive wheels having vanes set at gradually increasing anglesrelative to the movement of the wheels, and stationaryvelocity-producing diaphragms between the said wheels, successivediaphragms having passages gradually decreasing in size, one of thewheels having passages established by vanes havin substantially planesurfaces at substantial y right angles to the direction of movement ofthe wheel.

2. In a rotary fluid pressure producing apparatus, a casing open at oneend and provided with a discharge chamber at the other end, a shaftjournaled in the said casing and provided with a series of spacedvelocity producing Wheels having vanes set at gradually increasingangles with the vanes of the outermost wheel in the open end of thecasing at the smallest angle relative to the rotation of the wheels, andvelocity producing dia-phragms fixed in the casing and extending betweenthe said wheels, successive diaphragms having passages graduallydecreasing in size in the direction of the rotation of the wheels.

3. In a rotary fluid pressure producing apparatus, a casing open at oneend and provided with a discharge chamber at the other end, a shaftjournaled in the said casing and provided with a series of spaced velocity producing wheels having vanes set at gradually increasing angleswith the vanes of the outermost wheel in the open end of the casing atthe smallest angle relative to the rotation of the wheels, velocityproducing diaphragms fixed in the casing and extending between the saidwheels, successive diaphragms having passages gradually decreasing insize in the direction of the rotation of the wheels, and apressure-producinggdischarge diaphragm adjacent the said dischargechamber and having openings with walls diverging toward the saiddischarge chamber.

4. In a rotary fluid pressure roduoing apparatus, a casing open at oneend and provided with a discharge chamber at the other end, a shaftjournaled in the said casing and meaiio provided with a series of spacedvelocity producing wheels having vanes set at gradually increasingangles with the vanes of the outermost wheel in the open end of thecasing at the smallest angle relative to the rotation of the wheels, andvelocity producing diaphragms fixed in the casing and extending betweenthe said wheels, successive diaphragms having passages graduallydecreasing in size in the direction of the rotation of the wheels, thepassages having walls converging toward the discharge chamber except thelast one having its walls diverging.

ALBERT J. WORTHEN.

